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Z-Move

Artwork for Z-Moves

A Z-Move (Japanese: ＺワザZ-Move) is a special type of move introduced in Generation VII in which a Trainer and their Pokémon's wishes combine to unleash an attack comprising the full power of both. These moves are very powerful, but they can only be used once per battle, unless Z-Rotom Power is used.

Z-Moves

There are three different kinds of Z-Moves: Z-Moves which can be used by any Pokémon, with one Z-Move for each of the 18 types; status moves that have been turned into Z-Moves by one of the 18 type-specific Z-Crystals; and Z-Moves that can only be used by specific Pokémon. The Z-Move that a Pokémon can perform depends on the Z-Crystal it holds. There are 18 different Z-Crystals that correspond to each of the 18 types, and several others that correspond to specific Pokémon. Z-Moves work by powering up one of the Pokémon's normal moves, so the Pokémon must also know an appropriate move. For the type-related Z-Crystals, the Pokémon must know a move of the same type as the Z-Crystal it is holding. For the Pokémon-specific Z-Crystals, the move required differs for each Pokémon.

A Z-Ring or Z-Power Ring is also required in order to perform Z-Moves. A Pokémon can only use a Z-Move if its Trainer is wearing a Z-Ring or Z-Power Ring and has the same Z-Crystal the Pokémon is holding. Mega Evolved and Primal Pokémon cannot use Z-Moves, even when holding an appropriate Z-Crystal (such as after Transform).

Gameplay

In battle

When using a Z-Move in the games, a special cutscene plays, first showing the Trainer performing a certain pose, before shifting to the Pokémon surrounding itself with its Z-Power and executing the Z-Move. This cutscene cannot be deactivated, even if battle animations are turned off.

Z-Moves draw upon the PP of the Pokémon's original moves in order to execute, requiring and consuming PP upon use. When the Z-Move option is chosen in battle, a list of Z-Moves overlays the Pokémon's original list of moves, with each compatible move of the Pokémon's original moves overlain by a Z-Move option that draws upon that move.

Damaging Z-Moves derive their category (physical or special) and power from the original move. For example, a Gigavolt Havoc based on Nuzzle (with a power of 20) will have a power of 100 and be a physical move, while one based on Thunderbolt (with a power of 90) will have a power of 175 and be a special move. If the Pokémon knows more than one compatible move, it will be able to choose among different versions of the Z-Move with different stats, with the instance that has the highest power sparkling. Damaging Z-Moves do not inherit any other properties from the original move, so have neutral priority and do not have the additional effects of the base move.

Z-Moves based on status moves are enhanced versions of the original moves, having a Z- prefixed to the start of the status move's name. While they have the effects of the original status move, the user also receives a Z-Power effect (Japanese: ＺパワーこうかZ-Power effect), which is executed before the move itself. For example, Z-Splash also boosts the user's Attack by 3 stages, while Z-Parting Shot also restores the switch-in ally's HP by 100%. These effects are not affected by Contrary, Simple, or Heal Block.

Exclusive Z-Moves can be used only by specific Pokémon, and require a specific move to be upgraded. They have a fixed category and power. Exclusive Z-Moves can be used by a Pokémon transformed into an appropriate species regardless of its original species, if it holds the corresponding Z-Crystal; however, if the Pokémon who the move is exclusive to is transformed, it cannot use its own species' exclusive Z-Move unless it is transformed into another Pokémon of the same species.

Damaging Z-Moves cannot be fully protected against by protection moves (such as Protect and Spiky Shield), instead dealing 25% of the original damage. Status Z-Moves can be blocked by protection moves, but will apply their Z-Power effects regardless. Like any other move, Z-Moves can be redirected by effects such as Follow Me and Storm Drain.

Z-Moves may be used without regard to the effects of Taunt, Torment, Disable, Encore, Imprison, and Heal Block; however, the Pokémon never has an opportunity to select a Z-Move if it is forced to use Struggle (e.g. if it is affected by Taunt and only knows status moves). Even if the target of Z-Heal Pulse or Z-Floral Healing is affected by Heal Block, that Pokémon's HP is restored. Status Z-Moves can be used without regard to the effects of Gravity, but Gravity will still cause them to fail after applying their Z-Power effect (e.g. Z-Magnet Rise will raise the user's evasion but then fail).

If a Pokémon uses a damaging Z-Move on a Pokémon with Cursed Body, that damaging Z-Move can be disabled (with no effect on the base move). However, if Cursed Body would disable a status Z-Move (such as Z-Nature Power), the base status move will be disabled.

Power

With the exceptions of Mega Drain (120), Weather Ball (160), Hex (160), Gear Grind (180), V-create (220), Flying Press (170), and Core Enforcer (140), the powers of the type-specific damaging Z-Moves follow the following conversion table for base moves that have fixed powers. Struggle has a power of 1 as a Z-Move in the game data, which does not follow this table, but it is not possible to turn Struggle into a Z-Move.

Z-Power effects of status moves

When a status move is upgraded into a Z-Move, it may also gain a Z-Power effect in addition to its regular effect. Additionally, when used as a Z-Move, all moves that call other moves convert the called move into its corresponding Z-Move, although status moves called this way do not get their Z-Power effect. Moves stolen by Z-Snatch, reflected by Z-Magic Coat, or instructed by Z-Instruct are not turned into Z-Moves.

In the TCG

In the Pokémon Trading Card Game, a mechanic similar to Z-Moves, introduced in the Sun & Moon expansion, is a type of attack called attacks. Known exclusively by Pokémon, they are distinguished by a "" suffix following the attack's name, such as in "Pulverizing Pancake".

Like Z-Moves, attacks have very powerful effects compared to those of other attacks. However, each player may use no more than one attack per game. markers are used to denote whether a player has used his or her attack yet. When a player uses a attack, his or her marker is flipped over to expose its reverse side.

Due to their vast blast radius and power, they can usually be used to wipe out many targets at once, like in a Battle Royal. Typically, bipedal or semi-bipedal Pokémon with arm-like forelimbs tend to mimic the poses of their Trainer during the activation. On the other hand, quadrupeds and the like, whose forelimbs show no manual dexterity, tend to stay still and wait until the activation is completed before acting.

During his battle against Gladion in an Iki Town festival tournament, Sun inadvertently used a Z-Move with his En, allowing it to defeat Gladion's Type: Null with an incomplete version of Inferno Overdrive. Due to not knowing how to use Z-Moves at the time, Sun received Z-Power from a nearby Ultra Wormhole instead of building it up with a pose. Later, he was taught how to properly perform Z-Moves by Kiawe in order to battle Gladion a second time. With his newly-obtained Z-Ring, Sun and En successfully used Inferno Overdrive properly.